This is a nationalization of PCT/ZA99/00030 filed May 4, 1999 and published in English.
The present invention relates to baby chairs.
Baby chairs are in general known to applicant, in connection with high chairs and low chairs for feeding babies; these have a tray or small table top attached. Chairs which have a hole for a baby chamberpot are known which ease the use of chamberpots in the toilet training of babies.
None of these products, however, address the problem with which the present invention is concerned.
The present invention is concerned with the problem with small or young babies which can not sit up without assistance or not sit up safely. This is the case with many typical babies up to the age of between 6 and 7 months, although there is considerable variation between babies. With babies that can not yet sit up or can not yet sit up safely, there comes a stage when mothers often wish for various reasons to be able to support the baby in a sitting position without having to do it by holding the baby in this position in the mother""s arms. Though this is a personal question of course, examples are when the mother wishes to feed the baby or to allow it look around to satisfy its developing interest in its surroundings, instead of the baby becoming bored and crying as a result. Mothers sometimes therefore resort to propping up a baby with pillows or cushions, not always effective and generally not safe.
The solution of this problem in accordance with the present invention is a baby supporting chair which comprises a seat, a backrest, two side supports, a front support and between the front support and the side supports two grooves for the baby""s legs to project outwardly from the seat, characterised in that the seat of the chair is at a level equal to or lower than the level of the bottoms of the two grooves.
The chair is preferably moulded or otherwise formed integrally and preferably from a soft yet supportive material. An example which fulfils these preferred features is a suitable grade of polyurethane, integrally moulded. The chair is desirably moulded with rounded contours, especially avoiding any projecting or convex shapes which are sharp or angular or present corners which could hurt a baby or produce discomfort.
A preferred embodiment has formations to which a small tray or table top can be attached removably, when required. These formations are preferably indentations or concave formations which then can not produce any possibly harmful projections.